Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul became the first woman to win the Empire State’s top job statewide on Tuesday night, according to three major networks, defeating Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin of Long Island in a race that became far too close for Democrats’ liking in the closing weeks.
As the GOP-aligned outside groups flooded New York and other reliably blue territories with ad spending late in the campaign, Hochul’s July lead over Zeldin of more than 20 points evaporated to just 7 in the week before Election Day, according to FiveThirtyEight’s model.
Nevertheless, managed to prevail and convince voters to give her a full term after taking over for Andrew Cuomo in the wake of his August 2021 resignation.